Here is what Tom DeLay had to say two days ago at the 109th Congressional Prayer Service at a church in DC:

A reading of the Gospel, in Matthew 7:21 through 27.

Not every one who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven; but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?

"Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you: depart from me, you evil doers.'"

Everyone who listens to these words of mine, and acts on them, will be like a wise man, who built his house on a rock: The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew, and buffeted the house, but it did not collapse; it has been set solidly on rock.

And everyone who listens to these words of mine, but does not act on them, will be like a fool who built his house on sand: The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew, and buffeted the house, and it collapsed and was completely ruined.

Hmm... so would he be implying that the tsunamis were caused by God because the people in South Asia don't believe in God (or a number of them don't)?

I'm a Christian and I think that's RIDICULOUS. Or even just in general, that you have to believe in God or else you'll be ruined. It just BOGGLES the mind!

Thu Jan 6 2005 10:56 AM

GoofyGoober:

I don't know what he is or isn't implying, but he did forget the rest: http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/matthew/matthew7.htm#foot2

Thu Jan 6 2005 12:18 PM

Mike of the Great White North:

I just love Christians who just sit around thinking God is some damn hobo whos just got so much time on his hands that he vets out punishment on non-believers. But he's a very picky sonofa(*^7# because only a select few can actually tell what the meaning of the tragedy was. Take 9-11 for example. The religious elite that run the white house were there on TV, not saying that those 3000 souls were wicked or didn't heed God's words, no no. They were colateral damage because of the ACLU and the gays doing what they do to America. I'd put up Fartwell's exact words, but his comments aren't worth my time to find.

I love how zealotous Christians can decide at a moments notice exactly what God intended per event... if it happens to a clean cut, married 2.3 kids father, well God simply chose him because he works in strange and mysterious ways. If it was a crack addict, God struck him down cuz he was wicked. If your Evil, God will get ya, unless your the drunk who survived the crash that killed the family of 6 in the minivan.

Speaking of... don't you think God would have had just about enough of Bin Laden's grinin and pulled a Saddam :) and Gomorah on the entire middle east by now, kinda like a big middle finger to all those terrorists? In fact, why haven't i been hit by lightning yet.

Exactly.

Thu Jan 6 2005 4:12 PM

Aaron:

I'm confused about something...

There is absolutely no context given to Delay's reading of this scripture. Why do you automatically assume he was refering in any way to the Tsunami tragedy? (Or am I simply missing something?)

Because nearly every other person at the prayer breakfast that spoke referenced the tragedy. Most gave real remarks and standard type stuff you would expect. DeLay simply read that passage and sat down.

Thu Jan 6 2005 6:10 PM

Cici:

Depends if Tom DeLay likes to take the Bible literally or what it really means. I don't know his mind set, but he probably could've picked a different Biblical quote that could've conveyed the same idea. Regardless of which way he takes the Bible, I find it odd what with the disaster in Southern Asia that he happens to choose a quote about floods and destruction. If it was an honest mistake, then he should've thought twice about using those words.

Thu Jan 6 2005 6:15 PM

Aaron:

He was in a church... I find it hard to condem a man for standing up and reading scripcture in a church, regardless of what others chose to talk about.

I mean, would you be up in arms if he had read about Noah?

The parable that Jesus gives, houses built on rock and sand, is simply a call to put your life in Jesus' (the rock) hands instead of anything the world has to offer. It's not like he was trying to make a statement about the "stupid Southeast asians" deserving to die because they lived near the ocean or something...

I just don't see why it's even worth bringing it up for discussion...

Thu Jan 6 2005 6:28 PM

Paul:

Aaron,

You said:
"I find it hard to condem a man for standing up and reading scripcture in a church"

So, a person can quote any scripture and you will not condemn him for it. Can you condemn the following passage, or do you agree with it?

" If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. "

Fri Jan 7 2005 12:49 AM

Aaron:

Paul~

Hold up a second...

The scripture you read above cannot be simply left at that. It needs context. See, that was Moses' last "sermon" to the people, and was, in simple terms, reminding the Israelites of the Law God had given to them. That was the law that was to be followed by the Israelites! I find nothing in that passage objectionable in the proper context. Of course, I do not advocate that as law in our own country, but God was calling the Israelites to be a country under God, and they had very strict law to weed out Godless men.

The scripture that DeLay read, and most of Jesus' teaching, when read before a congregation can be done without setting up any such context. It's self-explanitory to most church-goers.

It's quite possible DeLay had read that scripture that morning, or heard it that week, and had thought upon it. Maybe it had some particular significance to him and he wanted to bring it fresh to everybodies mind. Who knows!

Why make a big deal about it?

Sat Jan 8 2005 8:00 AM

Billie:

Please do not be naive Christians. It does not take a genius to connect Delay's quote with the others given on the occassion. A spade is a spade, and Delay is a tool of evil. Its okay to be a Christian and realize that conservative, right-wing, evangelical, whatever-you-want-to-call-it "Christianity" is corrupted.